A Christmas Castle Carol
by Guarding My Castle
Summary: I think the title says it all. It is Kate's usual tradition. Working on Christmas Eve I apologize to Charles Dickens
1. A Beckett Tradition

**Tis the season for this**

**With apologies to Charles Dickens**

**As usual I own no part of any of the players. I also cannot claim Scrooge**

* * *

><p><span>A Christmas Castle Carol<span>

Christmas Eve at the 12th precinct.

A very normal Christmas Eve

The uniformed officers who had drawn the short straw and had to be on duty tonight have already made their way out the doors and into the street. It will be Christmas Day before these men and woman see St. Nick

The fourth floor, like all the other detective floors, is mostly empty. Only one or two plain clothes officers are present. The vast majority of the detectives have already finished their paperwork and headed home to be with their families and their Christmas Eve celebrations

But as she has done this and every year since joining the police department, Detective Katherine Beckett has volunteered to work the Christmas Eve shift. Even though she has seniority on the floor and could easily take the night off, her tradition has been to be the one to protect the city.

She has done this ever since she became a cop so her fellow officers could be with their families because

She is single and has no family to celebrate with

Just after lunch time she was greeted by the arrival of the ever present, ever annoying writer. That one person who seemed to be able to still pull her chain and still, after all these years, get a reaction from her. Although a negative one. He still does get under her skin more deeply than any person or rather any MAN has ever been able to do.

"Castle! What do you want?" she snipes at him

"I came by to wish a Merry Christmas to you and was wondering what plans you might have for tonight?"

"I am working Castle. That is my plan or can't you see that?"

"Detective. It's Christmas Eve. Don't you have some tradition to do? Aren't you going home? Celebrate? Open presents?"

"Castle. I am doing my tradition. I work on Christmas Eve. That IS my tradition. Anyway I have no special place to go"

"You can come to the loft and celebrate with us. Mother, Alexis, and me. We have a nice diner planned. We open presents. Drink mother's Glug. I think she is making it a little stronger this year"

"Castle. I'm sorry but Christmas means something different to me than it does to you"

"It's Christmas. How can it be different?"

Beckett is becoming a little irritated at the writer. He always wants fun and games and silkiness but she knows what is really important.

WORK

She points at the windows overlooking the street." This is my Christmas tradition. I am guarding all those people down there. I have that job and nothing else in my life

"Detective" he says in a very frustrated voice "I really wish you would reconsider. I promise you if you come to the loft, there will be no funny stuff. Just a lot of family love and good cheer"

Him using the term 'No Funny Stuff' reminded her of the week end he invited her to the Hamptons and she turned him down in go with Tom instead. He said no funny stuff then. He does probably mean it tonight. But she has other duties to take care of tonight

"Castle this is my job and I will stick with it so if you have nothing else to say, I have paperwork to do"

With a look of downtrodden and without another word spoken a defeated Richard Castle turns and walks off the floor.

What Beckett has not yet realized is that his invitations are truly from his heart and not from some self satisfying agenda. If she only could see how much he wants to have a true relationship with her, but she only knows the tasks that she has assigned for her and those tasks have no room for her personal happiness to get in the way. The tasks set up in a dark alley so many years before

Half way through her next report the elevator bell rings and she is rushed by her best friend and medical examiner

"Girlfriend! What are you still doing here? You are supposed to be out shopping, cooking, baking, putting cookies and milk out for Santa. Then looking around the floor or even hanging mistletoe over the door in the off chance a certain novelist comes calling"

"Lanie. That is enough. I am not in the mood for your cheery Ho! HO! HO'S! I am busy"

"Kate are you telling me that you are not going to go celebrate with someone special tonight?

"You know what I have to do, Lanie. This!" Beckett points to the stack of files on her desk yet to be finished

"What about going over to writer boy's for some Yuletide fun?"

"Lanie. This is my Christmas. Right here"

"OK Girlfriend but if you keep this up you will some day regret not grabbing all the gusto you can. While you still can." Then Dr. Parish adds a jab "with a man who is crazy about you" then Lanie whispers so no one will hear "and you are crazy about him"

Katherine Beckett has no time for such foolishness as what her best friend is suggesting. Since her mother's death Kate has not found a man she loved and will not have a man to love because to love them and then just to lose another person she loves. She will not be able to handle it.

So to keep her life simple she will just never love again

"Goodbye Lanie" Beckett huffs out as the medical examiner heads toward the exit

Detective Beckett returns to her paperwork and attacks the large stack of documents with a renewed vigor. Most of the paperwork today is routine. Today is mostly rechecking file contents. Not the most exciting task but one that still must be accomplished. The day drifts into early afternoon then mid afternoon.

Her mind cannot help but think about who she is helping today. All the victims that she can help find solutions for. All those families who might not have a good Christmas due to the loss of a loved one.

Right now Kate Beckett has no loved one in her life other than her father. At least not that SPECIAL loved one that so many others have. She probably could have had one but the murder of her mother, those many years ago, has tainted her desire for a special one. She knows that to love again will be to disrespect her mother's memory and she will not do that. Her mother's death is what drove her to be a cop and what drives her to be alone on Christmas.

She suddenly realizes that it is almost five o'clock and she forgot to bring anything for dinner. Looking at her watch she decides that instead of calling in a to go order at the local Chinese take out, she will leave for just a few minutes and get a Hot Pastrami with kraut at the corner deli. She can bring it back to the empty precinct and have a warm sandwich alone in the break room

She exits the elevator on the main floor of the station. As she moves toward the outside door she tells the desk sergeant where she is going and that she will be back in fifteen minutes

Wrapping her long coat around her body to prevent the wind from cutting thru to her flesh and pulling her gloves on covering her long fingers she walks out into the freshly falling snow

As she steps just outside the precinct doors her thoughts instantly go to the weather. She thinks "This is nice. We re having a White Christmas"

But!

Katherine Beckett's penchant for high heeled boots and ice covered cement are not a good combination.

As her feet go one direction her head goes the opposite and into the now closed police station doors

A moment of darkness is followed by a bright light.

An almost blinding light followed by…

_Katherine Beckett finds herself standing in the entry way of her home. Not her Chelsea apartment but the home she grew up in. She is standing in the entry way of her parent's apartment. Before she can move a figure appears in front of her. She recognizes the person. Or at least who she thinks it is_

_Then the deep soothing voice of Roy Montgomery resounds around her_

_"Hello Detective"_

_"Sir?"_


	2. Past

Of Times Gone By

"Sir? What is this? How are you here? Where am I? What is happening?"

"Kate. Please. One question at a time. First I think you know me"

"Yes sir but you're dead" Beckett feels herself gasp "OH NO! Does that mean I'm dead?"

"No Kate. You are still very much alive. You are just…well let's say you are currently traveling on a journey. A long slow journey and you are coming very close to the end of that journey and depending on what happens tonight where that journey will ultimately lead you"

"Kate I am the first of three encounters you will have tonight. And after the last one I hope you will see things in a new light"

Kate Beckett begins to move toward the person or spirit in front of her, but he holds his hand up to indicate for her to stop

"Sorry Kate but you cannot touch me" the image in front of her says

"Why?…Why not? If I touch you what happens?"

"No! I mean you can not touch me. I am not in the same realm with you. I am in a different place than you and we cannot connect in that way"

"Oh. I see" she responds still with confusion on her face

Kate begins looking around herself to try and see what exactly is happening here. "Roy where are we?"

"This is things from times past" he responds

Looking more "How far in the past?"

"Follow me and we will see"

The spirit seems to rotate. Not turn in the normal way but to rotate as if on a turntable. Then the image starts to glide. Not a walk but a motion in the direction of the living room. But the movement is restrained by a chain and a large cannon ball at the end dragging behind him

"Sir! What IS that?" Kate asks pointing at the chain and ball attached to the figure

"This is my chain. I created it during my life on Earth. I forged it link by link"

"Roy, you were a good man. You did not do anything to cause this to happen" Kate stutters in her own comments. She truly thinks that he would not have this burden to bear

"Detective, I did earn this chain. From my youth until you appeared at my station, I was not the model man. But you changed that when you appeared on my unit. I felt the hand of God and that he was giving me a chance to redeem myself for my past sins. The things I did as a rookie and then my responsibility in the death of your mother. These is the guilt I still carry"

The spirit of Roy Montgomery looks down at the floor where the weight is placed "But after you showed up and I decided to dedicate my life to justice. Justice not just for you but for all the victims of crimes, this chain" he points down "has actually become shorter. Each case I closed a case and helped a victim it removed one if the links that I had previously created and I am now down to this"

Kate takes note that there are only a few links attached to the large ball of weight on the end

"I am hoping that maybe someday I will receive the final forgiveness that will relieve me of this last burden"

He looks back up at Beckett "Please come with me"

He raises his arm and indicates that they should continue to move into the living room. As they come around the corner Kate is struck by the sight before her. A large fur Christmas tree covered with twinkling lights and shiny ornaments. Tinsel and bells, Angels and holly.

Below the tree covering the floor around the trunk are presents. Many, many presents. All wrapped in colorful paper and surrounded with glittering ribbon. Candles are lit on the counter and holiday music is playing from somewhere.

"This is…this is my home. My living room from when I was a child" Kate shrieks then she covers her mouth as if afraid that her sounds will frighten the current occupants

"Don't worry Kate. They cannot hear you. Remember that we are in a different plain"

A child's scream is heard rounding the corner from the hallway and a very young Kate Beckett comes rushing into the living room. She is jumping up and down and waving her hands almost to the point of hyperventilating

"That's me!" The grown up Kate Beckett rushes out

"Yes. I believe you are about ten years old here"

"This was the first year I wanted grown up stuff for Christmas. Not kid toys and things"

"Yes I believe you wanted a makeup mirror and makeup. Hair dryer all your own and I believe your first pair of high heeled boots was on the list"

Moments after the child appears there are two adults close behind. A tall distinguished man and a tall radiantly beautiful woman. There can be no doubt in anyone's mind where Katherine Beckett got her good looks as Kate's mother brings her radiance into the room

The couple has obvious pride in their daughter on their faces as they place themselves on the couch to watch their girl, in her glee, attack each and every package marked with her name

The adult Kate Beckett has tears trying to exit her eyes but she is fighting to keep them at bay for as long as she can. She takes a deep breath to try and calm herself down

The two visitors stand in the shadows watching the childhood Katie ripping thru all her gifts and the happiness that prevailed all around her and her parents that morning

The grown woman finally looks back to the guide and spirit of her dear friend "but it didn't stay that way for long" She chokes out

"Things did change" Montgomery comments as he waives the hem of the long tunic he is wearing and the room goes dark then the light returns

The room has changed. The tree is different. Not better. Not worse, just different. The ornaments are in different places. Presents are under the tree again and there is a calmer feel to the day.

Now a tall gorgeous Katherine Beckett steps out of the hallway. Stretching her arms into the air slowly as she is trying to convince her muscles to shake free from the night of sleep.

This is a much older more mature calmer subdued woman

She is followed minutes later by the same two beautiful people from before. Older yes, but still both handsome

The presents are more for the time. The packages contain clothes. Skinny jeans for the long, lean legs that grace the 19 year old Katie. A form flattering sweater that her mother selected but her father did not particularly want his daughter to wear. And yes, of course Stilettos to make this tall graceful woman even taller

Katherine Beckett, detective, is not able to hold her tears any more. They flow freely down her face and to her top

"Why are you showing me this? This was the Christmas morning just before my mother was murdered. This is when I decided to become a cop. I left that life and…"

The spirit raises his hand again to stop her words "Kate. This is to remind you of what happiness was like for you. The happiness that extended all around you every day. Not just at Christmas but how every moment you and your family spent together was special"

"But it is gone now"

"Just because it's gone does not mean it should be forgotten like you have tried to forget"

"But sir…"

"Kate. You need to remember al the good times you had. You need to plan for and make new good times"

"Roy. I have nothing to make good times with"

"Oh! I beg to differ" and the wraith waives his cloak again and once again the room darkens then lightens back up. This time, however, they are somewhere else. They have travelled to a place she doesn't recognize.

The room is small. The wallpaper is old and worn. There is a musty smell surrounding them

In a small wing back chair she can see the top of the head of a young boy. His dark brown hair clearly visible over the back of the cushion

The room is dim. There is very poor lighting coming from a table lamp. Sitting on the same table is a very small, much withered tree just beside the lamp. Some well worn ornaments are placed on just a few of the limbs. There is only two presents beneath the tree.

She steps up beside the table to try and catch a glimpse of the names on the packages.

It is a name she recognizes "Richard"

"Where are we?" Kate asks with a serious question in her voice

The shrouded spirit answers "It will only take a moment before…"

The words are interrupted by music coming from obviously a small radio or portable CD player. The overture to the Nutcracker Suite begins to fill the room

This always hardened cop is now fascinated by the appearance of a woman and the performance she is witnessing unfolds before her very eyes. A one woman show conducting a program with every bit as much zeal that one would expect to see on a Broadway stage

Kate is totally immersed in the show unfolding in front of her and when it concludes she has been completely enthralled by the dedication of the woman in charge. She starts to clap then stops abruptly when she thinks hew ovations were being heard by the two in the room.

It is only after the performance concludes that Kate realizes that she just witnessed a much younger Martha Roger, with coal black hair, recreate the story in a one person show for her only son Richard Rogers. Long before he became Rick Castle

Kate is filled with emotion again as she turns to her mentor "Why are they here in a flop house? They are rich and famous. I mean really rich. They have so much that I could never afford. That's one of the reasons I have stayed away from Castle. He has so much and I have so little"

"Look around Kate at what they had. All they had were each other. They had their love. They had family. It was only the two but it was still family"

"I had a family too but it was taken from me"

"Only a piece of your family was taken. You still had you dad. Young Mr. Rogers only had his mom"

Kate looks back at the boy as his mother hands to him a wrapped present for Christmas. Inside the simple wrapping paper was a copy of a spy book from a well known author. The pages were yellowed and the edges worn. Kate could easily tell it was purchased used from a second hand book store

But the young boy did not seem to care. He was excited to get any present from Santa this Christmas

Kate is on the verge of tears when she turns to look back at the spirit guiding her journey "He didn't always have it so good. Did he?"

"But even on the worst of days there is a possibility of joy" She hears the man say

The room's light dims and the figure begins to fade away

"Yes Kate. There definitely is joy out there"

She begins to panic "No! Wait! I need to know what happens"

Just as the man fades out she hears a new voice rise. A woman's voice and a new guide appears before Kate

"I will take you there Katie"

Kate is stunned to see the shroud covered image of Johanna Beckett appear before her


	3. Present

What Today Brings

"MOM" Kate screams at the top of her lungs then she covers her face with her long fingers

The spirit standing before her again reaches out to indicate that Kate should not attempt to make contact

"Mom. I need to…I need to hold you. I need to…touch you. I need to…"

"Katie none of those things can happen. I am not here in this world with you. You are seeing me in your heart, not with your eyes"

"But Mom, you are real. You look real"

"I know. That is so you will know that where we are going is true and what you will see is important. Important for you to take to your heart"

"What do you mean mom?"

"Katie, I have been watching you and your dad for that matter for the last dozen or so years"

"You have?" Beckett chokes out the question

"Yes sweet daughter of mine. I have stayed back and watched but now I must help you to make a change in your path"

"What…what do you mean? A change?"

Kate Beckett feels the world around her begin to move as if they are in a whirlwind, spinning.

"You need to see what is happening all around you and what you are missing"

The room darkens and then light appears again. They are in an apartment. Even though she has only been here once or maybe twice, Kate thinks that she recognizes the room. It looks like the apartment of Javier Esposito.

It is decorated for the season. There is a Christmas tree in the corner near an outside window. It is covered with ornaments and lights with a tree topper of a rotating angel

There is a manger scene on the bookshelf close by with a lighted set of figurines including the normal wise men, sheep and the baby in a crib

"Where are we?" Kate asks

"You know Katie" The spirit of Johanna responds just as they see two people walk from the kitchen

"So Beckett is working again tonight?" Esposito questions his companion as the two move toward the couch

Lanie places her wine glass on the table beside the couch "Yeah she did. I tried to get her to take the night off, but she insisted that since she had no place to be. No family to spend time with, she would do her duty and work so the others could be off"

"You invited her to come here too, didn't you?" Javi asks

"Oh yeah. Over the last month I repeatedly told her that she was invited to join us but she kept saying that her Christmas Eve dance card was already filled with work"

"Do you know if Castle had made plans?" Esposito asks as he also sits down next to Lanie

"I overheard him ask her to come for dinner with his family but she told him no"

"Lanie, I am afraid that that one of these days there will be no more invitations from him because he will give up and be gone from her life for good"

Lanie Parish looks out into the distance then back at her boyfriend and with soft words "Yeah I know"

Kate's face seems frozen "That's not fair. I have a job to do and that job is important and he doesn't need me and I…"

The spirit of her mother again holds up her hand "Katie"

The very sound of her name from the voice of her mother halts Kate's barrage

The apparition waves her robes and the room darkens and immediately light returns. They are now in another apartment. Kate recognizes it as the home of Kevin and Jenny Ryan from her visit once for Jenny's baby shower.

This apartment is filled with more holiday faire than any other Kate can remember seeing. It is evident from the level of decorations and the glitz of the tree that the occupants are deeply into the celebration of Christmas

The dining room begins to fill as several men and women enter from the other parts of the home. Jenny brings in bowls of food followed by another older woman, obviously Jenny's mother and then a man probably her father proudly carrying his first granddaughter, Sarah Grace.

Kevin enters next with his arms filled with the freshly cooked turkey. After everyone has entered the room and sat down around the table, Kevin in his usual manor raises a glass for a toast

"To all my friends and my family and our new daughter celebrating her first Christmas. To my partners and co-workers may today be joyous for them. And my partner who has once again chosen to deny herself joy and to work on this most important day. Thank You all"

The group responds with 'Here! Here!'

Then Jenny adds

"God Bless us everyone"

Trying to hide another tear Kate speaks up "See mother. My being at work is for the best. I am protecting them. It helps them in their celebration"

"Katie, tell me if you feel the same way after the next stop"

Again the gown swirls and the room changes from light to dark then light returns

This time the senses are overwhelmed by the decorations. A fifteen foot blue spruce tree covered with expensive decorations obviously not local in origin but from all over the world. Many ornaments that have special meaning to the residents. Garland and mistletoe. Ice cicles hanging from each corner and the aroma of pine trees fill the nose

"Why are we in Castle's loft? He, more than anyone else, doesn't need help in celebrating"

"Daughter, do you not remember what you were just shown? His life was not always silliness and parties. He built a new life after many years of struggles growing up without one of his parents"

"Yeah, but he is definitely living the high life now. He has no concerns. His life is happy all the time. He could care less about…"

Once again the spirit halts Kate's rant and directs her attention to the dinning room table. There sits all type of food. Turkey and dressing with giblet gravy and cranberry sauce. Green beans and peas. And every type pie imaginable

Looking at the expanse of excess food Kate remarks "See he has more food than he can eat from now until the end of the year"

"Katie, Rick will package the leftovers and has them delivered to a homeless shelter in time for Christmas lunch so that those less fortunate will have a nice meal"

Softly the young woman responds "Oh"

After the meal is finished the man in question and he two red headed ladies move to the living room where the tree is waiting. The floor covered with gifts selected from the heart and meant to make the recipient's life a blessing

Kate and the spirit of Johanna watch as Richard Castle passes out presents to his mother and daughter. He does it with obvious love and happiness in his actions. The women both accept his gifts.

After several minutes of mayhem with ribbons flying one and shreds of bright holiday paper going another, everyone is seated in their place and well pleased with the new items that have been given to them

"See mother, he has it all. Everything he could ever want is right there" Pointing to the room filled with wrapping paper debris

"No, not everything"

Just as Kate finishes her comment the two unseen guests watch as Alexis stands and then moves over and picks up one last unopened package sitting alone under the brightly lit tree

"Dad, this one has no name on it. Who is it for?"

Castle stands up and walks to his daughter and takes the unopened item "It's for

"OH" someone…someone who wasn't able to make it tonight" he says with much pain in his voice

"Richard, it's for Katherine isn't it?" Martha throws the question out knowing full well the answer

As he turns to walk away he softly answers "Yes"

"Son, when are you going to tell that woman how you feel about her and not when she is lying on the ground unconscious with a bullet in her chest?"

He turns back around "I think even if she did know it wouldn't change anything. She is dedicated to her work and I am not one of the things that will replace that in her life. Or maybe even worse, she did hear me and she doesn't feel the same and that's why she has kept away"

"So what are you going to do?"

"I will put this back in the safe again until next year and hope that one day she sees that I am right here just waiting for her to open her eyes and see that I'm right here" He moves into his office and closes the door

The spirit looks at Kate and sees her eyes are blurred by the event she just witnessed "Why is he doing this?" she asks

"When a man loves a woman he does crazy things"

"He doesn't love me" Kate chokes out then continues, after a moment's pause, "Does he?"

"Katie. When it looked like you were going to join me in my realm, he begged you to stay on Earth with him and he voiced his feelings to you but you had already passed out"

"Mom! What did he say?"

Before the answer comes the spirit turns and Kate suddenly finds herself outside "Where are we?" she asks as she is turning to look in the direction the spirit is pointing

"What are we doing here? The question is asked with heightened emotion

"Do you not recognize this place? You come here every week"

"I know where we are. Why are we at your grave and who is that standing there?" Kate points in the direction of her mother's headstone where a man is standing.

Immediately Kate realizes the person is her own father

"I thought dad went to the cabin every Christmas?" She asks of her mother's spirit

"He tells you that but he comes here first then he drives up there. He has come to talk to me often every since I left. We have had some very nice conversations over the past few years. The most recent ones have been the best however"

With total confusion on her face "Conversations? What do you mean?"

"Katie, he and I have talked many times since that day. He has come and told me about your adventures. Like when you joined the police department. He told me about legal cases he worked on…"

After a pause "He came to ask me how to deal with you on occasion"

Kate lets out a slight chuckle

"He told me about some of your boyfriends. I will tell you that he did not like any of them. Some of your heartbreaks. He wished he could heal your pain so many times when guys hurt you. He and I discussed some of your cases when you would tell him about them. He told me how worried he was about you and your job. How he said he couldn't loose you to violence too. We talked about you. A lot!"

"He never told me that he came here"

"He wouldn't. But lately he has been happier. Happier about you"

"What do you mean?" Kate has given up trying to dismiss this as a bad dream. She is beginning to believe this is actually real

The shadow clad woman spins toward Kate "He told me that a man had come into our little girl's life. And that this man fell in love with our daughter. A man with a real love for our girl. This is a man that wants to take all her pain away and make her happy. This man believes that you deserve to be happy but you are afraid"

"I can't be happy, mom. Not since I lost you. Anyway he has all his other riches. His mother and daughter. His money. His fame. He has it all he ever needs. He doesn't need me"

She takes a deep breath "But if I even tried to do this I would dishonor your memory"

"Kate, the way to honor me is to be happy yourself"

After a pause Kate responds "I can't do it!"

"Very well Katie if that is how you feel"

"It is"

"There is one more visitor to come see you tonight. This time it is not a friend. It will be a spirit that I have not had to deal with before. Please be very careful when you come around it. It has been known to take souls without permission"

"He sounds sinister"

"You have no idea" the voice of Johann Beckett fades as does her image. It is slowly replaced by another larger figure. This one shrouded in dark grays and blacks. The arms long, the face covered but a glow can been seen where eyes should be

The surroundings go black and a mist appears around them. As the light returns to the space Kate can tell they are inside another building

Her senses tell her that the smell is that of disinfectant and medicine.

They are inside a hospital


	4. Future

**A guest asked what season this story is from. The answer is **  
><strong>None of them.<strong>  
><strong>My stories are AU and I leave the canon to other**s  
><strong>This is listed a fantasy<strong>

* * *

><p><span><em>Of Things To Come<em>

Kate Beckett finds herself moving down a hospital corridor toward a group of rooms. The sign over the double partition doors says ICU. As they enter the restricted area several staff members are exiting one of the rooms and walking toward the desk area.

The shadowy figure stops at the door of the room where the staff just exited and directs her attention to the person in the bed.

It is Jim Beckett, Kate's father. She reacts immediately but as she approaches the bed, the spirit rises up a bone shrouded arm and she stops. The man, her father, does not look like he is in serious trouble. The monitors are registering normal heart rhythm, blood pressure, respiration and O2 levels. Upon closer examination Kate notices one thing is odd. His skin color seems to not be normal. It has a definite yellow appearance

"What is happening here?" Kate asks with the voice she normally reserves for suspects

The wrath simply points toward the nurse station and the staff gathered around the chart for her father. Kate moves beside them so she can hear the conversation. A woman who appears to be a doctor and in charge is talking

"His MELD score is over 50 and if we can't find him a liver soon, he will not make it"

Kate screams "My dad is dying from liver failure? How can this be?"

Another member of the team is looking at a computer screen "The closest relative is his daughter and she is not a match. Different blood type and his sister is not a good one either. How are we doing on the national list?"

"Please! Please let them find someone. I will forever be in their debt" Kate is almost sobbing

A person who is wearing a badge that says 'Transplant Coordinator' is also scanning a file "WAIT! WAIT! A new match has just shown up But it's a living donor and they are here in New York"

"Who is it?"

Before Kate can hear the answer, the spirit raises an arm to halt the words leaping from Katherine Beckett's mouth. Kate finds her mind blurred again and the room changes to another place and another time. She realizes that she is back in her dad's apartment.

But this time it has changed drastically

The room is decorated for Thanksgiving but the table is set for only two people. Kate is assuming it is her and her dad when…

Jim steps into the room carrying a glass of sparkling cider and a tray of banana nut bread. He is followed closely behind by Rick Castle

"Rick I want to thank you again. I cannot say enough what you have done for me and for my family"

"Jim. I consider you my friend and almost my family and when I was told about the need I was glad that I could help. And you don't have to avoid using the word. Your daughter"

"Well! None the less…"

Castle cuts the older man off "So Jim what plans do you have now that you have a renewed lease on life? Going back to work?"

After sitting down in his chair and taking a slice of bread "No, Rick I have decided to retire. Finally pull the plug on working"

"Wow!" Rick responds "So what are you planning to do? Are you going to travel? See the world? What?"

It is obvious that Jim Beckett is considering his answer very carefully before responding. "I plan to go see the Rockies, the Grand Canyon, Yellowstone. Travel the western United States some"

Rick can tell that Jim is NOT telling him something then he finally finishes his statement "I am going to New Mexico and stay with my daughter?"

There is a smile on Jim's lips "Rick listen I didn't want to say anything that would cause you any…"

"Listen Jim its fine. She IS your daughter and you should go to her. Be with her. How long has she been there now 5 or 6 years?"

"Ten years Rick She took that chief of police job ten years ago"

Castle looks out in the distance then a small smile crosses his lips "So you already planned retiring out there? Stay with her and her new special someone?"

"Rick! You know how bad I feel about how things turned out and that things never worked out between you two. Right?"

"Jim. She is her own, strong headed woman. She is her own person. After her mother's death she built that wall up around her heart and no matter how hard I tried I was never able to scale those fortifications she had built"

"Even though you know she is getting married, you still love her don't you" Jim asks will all sincerity in his heart

Castle takes a deep breath before responding "I have loved her. And I will love her Always!"

Kate tries to move toward Castle but her path becomes blocked by the shadowy arm of her guide as it raises its shroud and the world goes dim.

Then gray is replaced by light again.

"Where are we Now?" Kate asks as the room becomes clear. She can tell that she is inside a police station

As they move down the hallway toward the executive offices Beckett is looking at the signs and photographs. As they approach the main offices she sees the purpose of the trip. A large photograph of Kate Beckett in dress uniform with gold stars on her collar. The plate below the picture simply says Chief Katherine Beckett

The pair glides into the inner office to find a much older and mature Kate sitting at her desk

Chief Beckett and her personal assistant are going over her daily appointment calendar

"Chief, you have a noon lunch with the Mayor and several city council members, then at three the Citizen Review Board has reposts to give you…and don't forget that your wedding rehearsal and dinner are tonight"

The traveler Kate can be heard gasp with the statement "Wedding? Who am I marrying?" she asks quite firmly

The spirit waves its arm towards the credenza behind Chief Beckett where there are several invitations sitting. Visitor Kate looks at the fancy script

_Katherine Houghton Beckett_

_And_

_Raymond Ebert Toler, ESQ_

_Desire You Presence As They Consummate Their Joy in Holy Matrimony_

_Saturday the 22nd Day of December_

_At 7: O'clock PM_

_At Montclair Estates_

_R.S.V.P_

"Why am I getting married to a lawyer and who is he?" Kate wonders out loud

The spirit motions to Kate they are moving again and she now finds herself in the dressing room of the wedding venue. She looks in the direction of the mirror and she sees herself wearing her mother's wedding dress

"Why am I in my mother's wedding dress? I saved that dress for the man I loved. My one and done. This is not right"

Detective Beckett now directs her comments to her other self, Chief Beckett, as she loudly exclaims knowing full well the other woman cannot hear her

"You should not be marrying this Toler guy. You don't love him. You love someone else. You should be marrying…'

Her verbal comments are broken by a knock on the dressing room door and she is surprised to see her father entering. He stops short, barely entering the room. Kate can see a tear form in his eye

"OH! You are as beautiful as your mother was in that dress" He cannot hold back his emotions

"Thanks dad" The future Beckett says as she looks into her own reflection. "BUT…"

"What's wrong Katie?"

"Dad. For some reason I feel this just isn't right?"

"What do you mean?" Her father questions

"This marriage. I am suddenly feeling like there is a spirit in the room trying to pull me away from doing this"

"You're just getting cold feet"

"No dad! There is something else. I hear a voice telling me to stop this insanity"

She takes a deep breath then turns to her father

Time stops briefly as Detective Kate looks over to the creature that brought her to this time and this place "Is this the only future for them? For her? Or is this just one possible future? She is not happy. There is only one man who can make her happy. She needs Castle, not this lawyer that she's planning on marrying"

Time resumes at the wedding

"Dad! I don't love him. I love someone else I have always loved someone else but I ran from him. I was afraid to love him and now it's too late. I am sure he has moved on past me"

"Katie I need to tell you something. Something I promised I would keep from you and never tell, but I think that you need to know this now"

Jim Beckett walks up to his daughter and places his hands gently on both of her arms

"He still loves you very much. He has not moved on from you. In fact he has done things to make sure of your happiness even if it was not with him"

"What things dad?"

"You remember my Liver surgery?"

"Of course. The anonymous live donor. You would not have been here if it didn't happen"

"Katie, it was Rick. He gave me part of his liver"

"What?" she cries out "did he think that would help get me back?

"No. That thought never crossed his mind. In fact he felt that he had already lost you forever"

"Did he know I was getting married?"

"Yes Katie he did. In fact he told me that donating part of his liver, so I would be around to give you away, was a wedding present from him for you"

Tears are streaming down the spirit Kate and the future Kate equally

"DAD! Will you go tell everyone the wedding is off" as she turns to rush out the door

"Where are you going Katie" Jim asks

She stops and looks back to her dad "New York. I have unfinished business there"

The rooms blurs again as the dark spirit raises its arms and draws Kate forward to another place

Castle is sitting alone in the room staring at a television screen. Not really watching but just staring blankly in the direction of the moving images and the sound

"What is this?" Shadow Kate asks

The spirit directs Kate's attention to the desk where there are several notes or letters and s few newspaper articles all involving Katherine Beckett and her accomplishments along with the invitation to her wedding

A red headed woman appears at the door to the study "Hey dad!"

He looks up from the TV screen

"Me and the boys are leaving The tree is all decorated and ready for Santa" Alexis says as she pushes two young boys toward Rick "Tell your grandpa bye and that we will see him later"

The two rambunctious guys jump into Castle's lap and hug and kiss him "You boys take care of your mom and dad now. You hear me?" Grandpa Rick tell his two special fellows

"Yeah Papa" They both say in unison

"We are meeting Mike at Remy's for burgers. That's the boy's favorite place. I guess they got that form their grand father"

In a quiet solemn voice Ricks responds "Yeah. They probably did"

He watches as the three head out of the loft and just before she closes the door Alexis shouts back to her father "We will be back on Christmas Eve. BYE"

After a few minutes Castle reaches over to his desk and picks up the invitation and reads it again for the one hundredth time today. He then looks at the calendar on the wall.

Finally Castle says to no one in particular

"Today's the day she is off the market forever"

Richard Castle has for almost twenty years loved this one woman and now she will finally be gone for him

But he decides that for one last time he will do his tradition. He walks up to his wall safe and after opening the door removes one well worn wrapped present. He closes the safe and begins to walk into the living room and to his tree

He places the present in a special place. A place everyone in the house knows what it is and why its there every year. He stands back up and walks out of the living room heading toward the bar where he will have one final toast to Nikki Heat and the love of his life, Kate Beckett

He pours two fingers of scotch, turns toward the grand piano where the pictures still reside of Kate and him from the days at the precinct. He raises the glass to her image then downs the brown liquid and turns back to the bat

Just as he turns he feels a sharp pain in his left chest causing him to drop the glass. He looks at his side then reflexes again as the pain moves up to his neck and radiates down his left arm. He takes a breath trying to stop the discomfort but it is becoming even more intense to the point of unbearable

He takes one step toward his telephone, sitting on the counter of the kitchen, but the pain increases even more. It feels like a giant weight has just been placed on his chest and he can't breathe. As he tries to take another step the pain increases even more and his breath become choppy as he is trying to bring oxygen into his lings. And he drops on his knees to the floor. His face flushes red as he falls down on the floor never making it to the phone to call for help.

The traveler Kate grabs her chest as if she is feeling his pain herself. She suddenly realizes the wrath beside her has started moving toward the hurting man. It is heading toward the person on the floor

Not only has the shrouded beast started moving but it is now making a sound like it is laughing and is actually happy that this is happening.

Beckett realizes that the creature is going after Rick's spirit. Her mother's essence warned her that this thing has been known to do this without permission

Kate quickly rushes to Castle's body on the floor and tries to take his hand but to no avail. She recalls what Montgomery told her that they are not in the same realm and could not touch.

He is lying on his back and the last thing in his mind is the image of Katherine Beckett, the love of his life and as he looks up he believes he can actually see her standing above him

The words he hears as he draws what he believes is his last breath is

"Castle I love you. I love you Castle"

She turns toward the evil spirit descending on them and yells "YOU CAN'T HAVE HIM! HE BELONGS TO HER! SHE IS COMING FOR HIM!"

And Kate Beckett places herself in the direct path of the evil beast in the shroud

She feels herself being wrapped in the covers of the evil thing that is there and she is being drawn into the monster's realm. She feels pressure on top and all around her and she begins to hear other voices calling her name from another place


	5. A New Tradition

A New Today

There is some presence all around her. It is huge. Whatever it is it is blocking the light

"Detective! Detective Beckett! Are you OK?"

A man's voice is booming from above her head. She can feel someone or something touching her arms trough her overcoat. She opens her eyes and sees the uniform and sergeant stripes of the desk officer from just inside the lobby of the He is kneeling down just to her right and slightly above her

"What? What's going on?" Beckett is finally speaking

"You slipped on the ice Detective. I am calling for medical…" Sergeant Mallory answers

Kate gets her bearings and realizes the giant presence she felt was the very large body of the officer assigned to be the protector of the station's lobby. Mallory is one very large individual

"I'm fine! I don't need the paramedics. I'm fine" Kate rushes out the statement

"Detective, you hit your head on the door"

"How long was I out?" She says as she is finally sitting up and not on her back on the cold steps

"I don't know. Maybe five seconds or ten at the most"

Detective Beckett looks at the uniformed officer with a questioning smirk on her face "Ten seconds? Not hours or days?"

The sergeant replies "No detective. I watched you slide down and I jumped up and came out here from my counter. It could not have taken more than ten seconds at the most. When I got out here your eyes were already starting to open and you were moving trying to get up"

Kate is confused by the officer's response. In her mind she has been gone for many hours or even what seems like it might have even been days

"They did it all in the flash of an eye" is her quiet comment

"Did what?" The officer questions "Who did what? What did someone do?"

Kate takes a hold of the door handle and begins to pull herself back up and stands on the steps

"Detective Beckett, I think you should let the paramedics take a look at you"

"Sarge, I'm fine" Kate responds "Really fine"

"Not with this crazy talking like you are doing"

Katherine Beckett looks at the fellow officer and smiles "Mallory I think for the first time in years I my thoughts are crystal clear and I know exactly what I must do now. Will you do me a favor and call Karpowski and tell her I had an emergency come up and I need her to fill in for me tonight. Tell her I will owe her one"

Kate rushes back into the station and runs downstairs and gets her cruiser from the garage. Her car has snow tires so her trip on the street will be much safer than her attempt to walk down snow covered sidewalks.

First she rushes into a toy and baby store and again knows exactly what is on her list.

Her next stop is a liquor store where she knows exactly what to get for her best friend and her boyfriend along with a bottle of wine for a special person.

Just as she walks back out and into her car she sees that any chance of buying any more presents is past as all the shops are closing up at 6 PM in preparation for Christmas Eve celebrations

Returning to her cruiser she carefully moves through the street of New York and toward her ultimate destination

Her first stop is at Javier Esposito's apartment where she knocks at the door and waits patiently for the surprised couple inside to untangle themselves from each other and make them themselves presentable.

The duo is obviously shocked to see Kate Beckett at the door holding a bottle of Champaign for them

"Merry Christmas you two and I have to go" as Beckett turns tale and heads back down the hallway to the exit

"Lanie! Who was that woman and what did she do with Kate Beckett?" Esposito asks with Lanie standing beside him with her mouth open

Next stop on her journey, Kate is knocking on the door and Jenny and Kevin Ryan's apartment. Jenny's mother opens the door "May I help you?"

"You must be Mrs. O'Malley. I am Kate Beckett I work with Kevin"

"Yes detective. I have heard so much about you. Please come in"

"Thank you but I am running very late, But I just wanted to drop this present off for Sarah Grace"

Kate hands a wrapped present to Jenny's mom just as Kevin peeks around the door. "Who is it? Oh hey Beckett! Come in"

"I would love to but I need to catch up with my dad. So merry Christmas to you and Jenny and Sarah Grace. Got to go and see you back at the precinct"

"Same to you Kate" Kevin is honestly shocked by her appearance

Katherine Beckett is making her next to last stop for the evening hoping she has not arrived too late. As she pulls her cruiser up to the gate of the cemetery she can see the man standing beside the tombstone. The marker that has become so familiar to Kate over the last several years.

She gets out of her vehicle and quietly walks up to her father hoping to not startle him by being here

Jim Beckett never looks up "Hi Katie"

"Hi dad" Kate speaks so very softly "I hope I didn't frighten you"

"No. I was expecting you. I knew you were coming"

"You knew? How?"

"Your mother told me"

Katherine Beckett is not going to comment on her father's statement of the supernatural because she has just experienced something that can only be called otherworldly

"So Katie, have you come to a decision?"

Tears are streaming down her face and she is not making any attempt to hide this

"I have dad. Mom is right! You are right! And now I am going to go make it right"

Jim Beckett turns to look at his daughter and she can see his love he has for his little girl. She steps up to her dad and pulls him into a firm loving hug

"Merry Christmas dad"

"And a very Merry Christmas to you Katie"

He pulls back and looks into her eyes again "Call me tomorrow and let me know if it is as amazing as you are hoping"

"DAD!" Kate comments as she gently pokes her father

She turns and rushes back to her car and in route to her final destination for tonight. As she pulls away she doesn't get to see the smile on her father's face and his words that are spoken into the night air

Jim Beckett looks at the tombstone marking his beloved Johanna "Our little girl is finally in love with a man who loves her as much as we do"

What no one else except Jim Beckett hears is a woman's voice reply "Yes she is"

Pulling her cruiser into the parking garage at Richard Castle's loft Kate Beckett's skin begins to crawl. She just knows that her blood pressure is through the roof. She reaches up to touch her face to feel the heat radiating from her skin.

Getting into the elevator she mentally checks herself to make sure she is ready to do this

She only has one regret. She was not able to buy a very personal present for Castle. All she has with her is the bottle of wine

The elevator bell rings and the doors open depositing her on the floor just a few feet from the entryway of the Castle's home. With each step she takes getting her closer and closer to that one place that makes her uncomfortable more than even facing hardened murders and other criminals.

She makes her way to the front door and stops her forward motion only inches from the threshold. She looks down at her boots and for the first time since she left the percent, she notices that they became badly scuffed from the cement on the sidewalk when she took the dive earlier. Looking at her clothes they are also showing the results of her dive on the precinct steps earlier

"I should have gone home and changed. I should do that now. I need to Leave and go home and change my boots. And my clothes. I look terrible. These are scuffed and that makes me look tacky" and her internal argument stops her from raising her hand to land on his door

She lowers her hand from the position of a knock and redeies herself to turn and run, the door suddenly flies open.

"Katherine!" The red headed mother of the occupant blurts out as she almost collides with the brunette detective

"Martha!" Kate says with great difficulty

"What are you doing here? I was told you had to work"

"UH…Yeah…but I…"Kate is stuttering instead of answering

"Please come in Katherine" Martha states. Richard is in his study and I am heading out for an after hours party at the Belmont" Martha turns around toward her son's office "Richard you have company and I am gone/ I will be home in the morning"

Martha looks back to Kate "Alexis is staying with Paige and her friends at a sleep over tonight and I am so glad you're here otherwise…" The older woman stops her statement in mid sentence

"Goodbye Katherine. See you tomorrow"

Martha closes the door behind her just as the voice of Richard Castle can be heard from his office "Mother? Who's here?" His voice trails off as he sees with his own eyes, the answer to his question

Castle is taken by total surprise by the visitor standing in the entry of the loft. A tiny smile is evident and Kate is not totally sure, but she thinks there is a gleam on his face

"Hi" Castle says sweetly as he moves toward the beautiful woman now gracing his living room

"Hi" she responds in a much softer tone than she was using back in the station earlier today "I hope I didn't interrupt anything? I mean if you are expecting company or you have someone here…" Honestly she is praying that what she head about him still in love with her is true and there is not some bimbo in his bedroom just waiting for Martha to leave so they can be alone with the writer

Looking over his shoulder Castle answers "UH, No I was just putting something in the safe in my office"

"So are you alone tonight?" she asks then takes a small step in his direction

"I am now. Or I was until you got here"

He takes a small step himself

"OH" she responds then finishes the statement after a pause "good"

She is not positive but she thinks he softly repeated the word 'Good'

She now takes another step closer to where Castle is standing

Then Castle looks at his watch "It's still Christmas Eve. I thought you were working. You know your tradition for Christmas. Protecting the city?" and he takes another step closer himself

She has tears in her eyes and it appears they are matching what are in his

"I think it's time for a new tradition" and another step

"OK?" Castle responds not yet sure where he fits in this new tradition she is planning but she makes one more move, they are now almost toe to toe

Fear of rejection is rushing in her veins and she starts rambling "Uh. I brought you a bottle of wine. Not a present exactly just in case you needed it for dinner but I see you have already eaten and then after diner wine but this is not an after diner wine but I can tell you have already had dessert but I just wanted to tell you Merry Christmas and tell you…"

Her long sentence that had not even been interrupted by a complete thought in her brain is halted by his lips being firmly placed on her lips and his arms wrapped around her body.

It was a good thing that they were standing over a soft carpeted floor when her arms went limp and she dropped the bottle on the floor where it landed with a small thump

When the kiss breaks they are both flushed and can feel the electric charge in the air between them. Neither one can hardly breathe

"Merry Christmas" Castle whispers into her lips

"Merry Christmas yourself Castle" she tries to respond but she can barely draw in air

Castle finally opens his eyes where he finds himself looking directly into hers

"Oh Kate! I'm sorry"

"Don't be" she barely answers

"Look up" He points at the cluster of mistletoe hanging directly above her head

Her smile covers her face "Rules are rules. I mean the mistletoe must be honored" She almost chuckles

"Yeah it does" Castle tries to respond but his is having difficulty putting two words together to form a complete sentence

"OH! Wait" Rick suddenly says "Wait here!" and he turns to rush back into his home office. She can hear him working the combination to his safe. .

She uses the time to remove her coat, try to calm her blood pressure down, and pick up the wine bottle she dropped earlier, from the floor, and place it on the table. When he reenters she is back in the exact same place as before

He flies back into the living room and almost can't stop when he reaches her. He is holding a wrapped package in his hands

"Kate sit down, please" pointing at the couch

She sits down and Castle places the package in her lap

"What is this? You didn't have to…"

"It's just a little present for you"

Kate takes the box and begins to giggle almost like the ten year old Kate she witnessed a few hours ago

Finally getting the box open she finds a gift that she knows must mean something to Rick.

"A jewelry box?" Kate asks with honest question in her voice

"Open it" he tells her

Inside she finds a very nice gold twisted chain bracelet

"Oh Rick it's beautiful!"

She takes the chain and holds it up to her wrist. Castle takes it from her then helps put it on

"You like it?"

"I love it Rick" she smiles at the gift.

"Look in the box. There are little trinkets that you can clip on the bracelet"

Kate looks in the little trays where she fins small gold charms. A gun, a badge, a set of handcuffs, a police baton, and a set of justice scales

"These represent all the things that brought you and me together" Castle comments

Kate does actually giggle at the sight of the shiny objects

"Thank you Castle" Kate smiles at the items in her lap. Then she realizes the box must also have some meaning.

There is no reason to buy her a large jewelry box for just one bracelet and a few charms

As she touches the box she looks up at Rick

"I got this so you would have a place to keep the rest of the jewelry I will be buying you in the future

His comment about their future gives her the hope that she was not too late

"Rick! I…I don't know what to say" She leans back to look at him "Castle I'm sorry but I don't have anything for you"

"You being here with me now is all the gift I need"

She leans into his chest

"Kate I like how tonight is going but I need to know something. What happened?"

She looks at the bracelet as she answers "Can we get some wine first?"

Castle jumps up and grabs the bottle that Kate just brought and pours two glasses. When he returns to the living room Kate has moved from the couch to the windows. He finds her staring out into the night

She takes the glass he is offering and she turns back to look outside again. She senses his closeness behind her. She reaches back and takes his free hand and pulls it around her stomach, interlinking her fingers into his and then leans back into his body.

"Castle something happened and made me believe in the impossible. So I want to believe in Santa. I want to believe in magic"

She pauses for a moment "I want to believe in us"

"Kate! I'm the one who's having trouble believing this"

"Then Rick. To prove it, I AM giving you a Christmas Gift tonight"

He is not sure how to take her statement. "The wine?" he asks

In a very soft sultry voice she responds "No. It is something I have NEVER given a man before…" She turns around to face him and lock onto his eyes

"My Heart"

Her words. Her sensitivity brings a tightening in his throat.

Castle uses the opportunity to try and kiss her without the help of the mistletoe and she returns it with passion.

After they break for air Castle tells her to wait just a minute as he again rushes over to his study

Kate looks out the windows as she is waiting for his return. He glances at the bracelet when she notices that there is an inscription inside

"To The Love Of My Life

She whispers to herself "He still loves me" Then Kate looks out the windows and she sees something that no one else can.

Kate's three spirits are hovering over the building across the street. Her mother has a smile radiating all across her face

Roy Montgomery is holding the ball with the last few links of his chain. It is no longer attached to him. He has been freed because of the love spreading in the loft across the way

He drops his smile as he turns toward the evil spirit next to him and hands the weights to the creature. The evil one who is now burdened because he tried to steal a soul without permission descends down to a domain below.

Castle returns to Kate's presence and he is holding another charm

"What's this?" Beckett asks

The charm is in the shape of a heart "A heart to add to your bracelet" is all he answers

She looks at his face "So does this mean we're good? You and me?"

"He wraps his arms around her

"We are more than good"

* * *

><p>Thanks for reading my first fantasy story. I had some fun<br>I wish everyone a Merry Christmas and Happy Hanukkah


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